Converting a Gas or Diesel Tank to Jet-A
06-16-2015, 08:55 AM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2011
Posts: 103
Converting a Gas or Diesel Tank to Jet-A
I have a friend (not a pilot) who is working on a charity project requiring a lot of flying.
He needs a fuel truck or tank on site, but the budget constraints are such that he is limited in terms of what he can actually acquire.
He messaged me asking if a gas or diesel tank, in general, is readily convertible to Jet-A.
I don't know the age or construction of the tank, but I can tell you that the fuel drawn from such a tank would be going into a PT-6 powered aircraft.
Assuming the respective tank has been aired out, and that premixed fuel is used, are there contamination concerns I may not be aware of? Is residual gasoline that may exist as a film on the inside of the tank significant enough to be concerned? If so, is there a method worth investigating to clean such a tank?
Thank you in advance.
He needs a fuel truck or tank on site, but the budget constraints are such that he is limited in terms of what he can actually acquire.
He messaged me asking if a gas or diesel tank, in general, is readily convertible to Jet-A.
I don't know the age or construction of the tank, but I can tell you that the fuel drawn from such a tank would be going into a PT-6 powered aircraft.
Assuming the respective tank has been aired out, and that premixed fuel is used, are there contamination concerns I may not be aware of? Is residual gasoline that may exist as a film on the inside of the tank significant enough to be concerned? If so, is there a method worth investigating to clean such a tank?
Thank you in advance.
06-17-2015, 07:53 AM
#2
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,211
I can't really tell you how to do this safely, not knowing all the variables, but I can tell you what I might do in this situation.
If it were for a non-aviation use, I'd just do it. But since we need a higher level of fuel quality assurance for airplanes....
Contact the tank manufacturer and find out if the tank is designed to handle jet-A. The potential concern might be soft seals or tank liners. It almost certainly will be fine since gas is similar to Jet-A and diesel/kerosene/Jet-A are almost identical, but I would still ask.
Make sure the tank is drained, then do an internal inspection (hopefully it has an inspection access port). Fumes are very dangerous, don't breathe them or allow ANY spark source anywhere near gas fumes. Make sure the tank has no contamination and that any tank liner (including paint) is intact.
If it's a fairly large tank (more than a few tens of gallons) then the volume to internal surface area ratio will be very high (area increases as a square, volume as a cube function). This means you'll have a lot of dilution of any residual fuel/additives on the inside walls of the tank. I would be OK flying an airplane with a tiny trace of said residual in the jet A. Alternatively you could clean the tank out...hot water and soap (rinsed well) would work but there are probably EPA rules about discarding it. There are probably professional services you could hire to clean the tank.
Make sure any filters are installed and within their service life (I'd replace them regardless). Make sure you can sump the tank to remove any water/particulates before you fuel an airplane. I'd research whether airplane fuel bulk tanks have special features (filters, sumps, etc) which might not be installed on generic tanks.
IMO, turbine engines are very tolerant of fuel variables as long as there's not a lot of water or particulates which could clog filters.
That's what I might do, but I'd recommend contacting the Mfg. and following their guidance.
If it were for a non-aviation use, I'd just do it. But since we need a higher level of fuel quality assurance for airplanes....
Contact the tank manufacturer and find out if the tank is designed to handle jet-A. The potential concern might be soft seals or tank liners. It almost certainly will be fine since gas is similar to Jet-A and diesel/kerosene/Jet-A are almost identical, but I would still ask.
Make sure the tank is drained, then do an internal inspection (hopefully it has an inspection access port). Fumes are very dangerous, don't breathe them or allow ANY spark source anywhere near gas fumes. Make sure the tank has no contamination and that any tank liner (including paint) is intact.
If it's a fairly large tank (more than a few tens of gallons) then the volume to internal surface area ratio will be very high (area increases as a square, volume as a cube function). This means you'll have a lot of dilution of any residual fuel/additives on the inside walls of the tank. I would be OK flying an airplane with a tiny trace of said residual in the jet A. Alternatively you could clean the tank out...hot water and soap (rinsed well) would work but there are probably EPA rules about discarding it. There are probably professional services you could hire to clean the tank.
Make sure any filters are installed and within their service life (I'd replace them regardless). Make sure you can sump the tank to remove any water/particulates before you fuel an airplane. I'd research whether airplane fuel bulk tanks have special features (filters, sumps, etc) which might not be installed on generic tanks.
IMO, turbine engines are very tolerant of fuel variables as long as there's not a lot of water or particulates which could clog filters.
That's what I might do, but I'd recommend contacting the Mfg. and following their guidance.
06-17-2015, 08:30 AM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: Left seat of a Jet
Posts: 514
Originally Posted by ShadyMilkman
I have a friend (not a pilot) who is working on a charity project requiring a lot of flying.
He needs a fuel truck or tank on site, but the budget constraints are such that he is limited in terms of what he can actually acquire.
He messaged me asking if a gas or diesel tank, in general, is readily convertible to Jet-A.
I don't know the age or construction of the tank, but I can tell you that the fuel drawn from such a tank would be going into a PT-6 powered aircraft.
Assuming the respective tank has been aired out, and that premixed fuel is used, are there contamination concerns I may not be aware of? Is residual gasoline that may exist as a film on the inside of the tank significant enough to be concerned? If so, is there a method worth investigating to clean such a tank?
Thank you in advance.
He needs a fuel truck or tank on site, but the budget constraints are such that he is limited in terms of what he can actually acquire.
He messaged me asking if a gas or diesel tank, in general, is readily convertible to Jet-A.
I don't know the age or construction of the tank, but I can tell you that the fuel drawn from such a tank would be going into a PT-6 powered aircraft.
Assuming the respective tank has been aired out, and that premixed fuel is used, are there contamination concerns I may not be aware of? Is residual gasoline that may exist as a film on the inside of the tank significant enough to be concerned? If so, is there a method worth investigating to clean such a tank?
Thank you in advance.
As a pilot/A&P with thousands of hours in PT-6's, your friend should make sure the previous tank is clean as possible with all available methods. PT-6's are like any other turbine engine in which fuel contamination will not hurt it as much as the other way around with a reciprocating gas engine. The problem with heavier diesel fuels especially in the US is the clogging of fuel pumps and fuel systems. This is the reason diesel powered aircraft in the US use jet fuel and in Europe and other places you can use both diesel and jet fuel. The diesel fuel overseas is a better quality than in the US.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
turk
Flight Schools and Training
29
01-13-2012 05:58 AM
